Air-vent oiler



Dell. 7, 1943. J. B. SWAN A AIR VENT' oILER Filed NOV. 21, 1341 ("'1xfucni'o'b, B. SWA N.

'M41 Sum-MS Patented Dec. 7, 1943 n [fori-Tics AIR-VENT OILER John B.Swan, Gladstone, Mich.

Application November'21, 1941, Serial No. 420,031

Cla-ims. (Cl. 221-39) This invention relates to an air-vent oiler, andthe principle of the invention can be applied to all kinds of oil cans.

An object of the invention is the -provisionof simple novel and ecientmeans for supplying air to the spout of an oiler whereby the oil willflow freely through the spout when the oiler is in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a workable device toprevent back-flow of oil through the air pipe to the outer surface ofthe can and to eliminate any air vent in the oiler cap, in order to keepthe outer surface of the can free from oil.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a workable devicefor control of oil from the spout by stopping the air supply at point ofintake,

Another object of the invention is the A-provision of novel and eilcientvalve means as a unitary part of an air tube arranged'in the oiler.

A still further object of the invention is the construction of a noveland eilicient valve device on the air tube of an oiler, the valve of thedevice being protected Ypractically completely from contact with theoil, whereby the valve will not stick like an exposed ball valve woulddo.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention comprisescertain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts aswill be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. s

In the drawing: Y l

Figure 1 is a View in elevation of an oiler, showing part broken awayfor the purpose tof disclosing the interior structure f the oiler.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-'-2, Figure 1 and lookingin the directionY of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged Vertical sectional view of the upper part Aofthe air tube, showing particularly the valve device thereof.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the exception that this viewshows a valve device in an open or invertedposition. s

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5, Figure 3 and looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, I designates the container while 2is the spout; A ller'S is'provided having a closed cap 4.

In the container I and spout 2 is positioned an air tube 5, whichcommunicates at its lower end 6 with the outer atmosphere. This tube issecurely fastened in vposition upon the container. The air tube 5comprises the primary section 'l extending up into spout 2, and upon theupper or inner end of section I is an enlarged auxiliary section 8. Forsecuring the two sections of the air tube 5 together a novel lock 9 isprovided. This lock 9 comprises I a socket it (Fig. 5) formed in theprimary section l and a registering detent lI formed in the auxiliarysection 8, whereby the sections are securely fastened together.

The outer end ofthe auxiliary section 8 is reduced, presenting a smallaperture lI2 for the air to pass freely through, but aiiording arelatively small opening for any oil to attempt to enter the auxiliarysection 8. A transverse stop pin I3 is placed within the auxiliarysection 8 for the purpose hereinafter specified. A solid cylindricalValve I is slidably mounted in the auxiliary section 8, this valve beingpointed'on its ends. The inner pointed end rests upon the valve seat l5constituted by the inner extreme end of the primary section 1. When theoiler is in its normal'position (Figs. '1 and 3) the valve I4 will beresting upon itsseat I5, but when the oiler is inverted, for dischargingoil, the upper or outer end of the cylindrical valve IG will be restingagainst the pin I3 as shown in Figure 4., whereby the outer air willreadily pass in the air `tube and be discharged out of the end I2insuring of free'flo'w of oil out of spout 2.

The solid cylindrical valve I4 will immediately seat (Fig. 3) whenthe-oiler is Vmoved to an uprightposition, thus closing the air tube 5and retaining what air is inthe auxiliary section 8 around it andpreventing the oil from owing into the air tube. 'Ihus it will be seenthat by entirely enclosing the valve I4 it will not stick likean-exposed ball valve would do, and further the instantaneous seating ofthe valve on its seat I5 causes an air-seal around the entire valvewithin itsl Vsolid casing or sectional, whereby backflow of oil isprevented-at the discharge end {2,'which is `a decided improvement andof great importance .and advantage.

The air vent 5 runs up into the spout 2 above the level of the oil inthecan. The spout 2 at such place is considerably larger than the small endof the spout where the oil ows out. .When the 'spout 2V of the can isturned down for the oil tol flow out, unless airis admitted into thespout on the can, oil will be'prevented from flowing from'th'e :endofthe spout 2. When the operator desires to use the can, he can turn thespout down and the needle valve I4 slides down through force of gravityand strikes the bar I3. This allows the Valve seat to be opened at I andthis permits air to flow past said valve seat and around the needlevalve and out the spout. As air is thus introduced into the spout theatmospheric pressure in the can is overcome and the oil will ow throughfrom the end of the spout.

Besides relieving the atmospheric pressure the invention will obviatethe back flow of oil through the air vent to the outside of the can,which condition obtains with reference to the cans commonly in use. Theengineer's gloves soon become saturated with oil and some of the oil iswasted.

Another reason for inserting the air vent into the spout is this: Wherethe air vent opens merely into the top of the body of the can, oilrushes into the large end of the spout and the action of the airintroduced lower down in the can is too slow. The oil being generallyfairly heavy, the result has been that the average locomotive engineercuts a piece o of the smaller end of the spout, so that the oil willflow faster. When this is done, there is a great deal of oil wasted,because the oil ows out at times much faster than is necessary, andthere being such a large quantity of oil going out the spoutrwhen thecan is turned upright, some of the oil runs down on the outside of thespout and down on the body of the can itself.

Still another reason for my novel device is that' in the type of oilersin use at present, which, of course, has an air vent, the Valvemechanism becomes so loose that oil works out of the body of the canaround the valve adjustment device.

To summarize, the air is introduced in the spout through an air vent orintake, so that it will be near to the small end of the spout where theoil goes down, thus affording quicker action. The air is not introducedto mix with the oil, but to relieve the amospheric condition caused bypouring oil from the can. Further, my novel device places the end of theair vent above the oil level, so that the oil can ow back to the insideof the can when the oiler is not in use, and it stops the flow of oilback through the vair outlet to the outside of the can.

Therefore, it will be seen that I have provided a novel and efficientconstruction which Will prevent back-flow of oil throughrthe air tube 5,while at the same time insuring of plenty'fresh air being dischargedinto the spout, resulting in free discharge of oil from the oiler whenit is in use. My novel construction also insures of a clean and tidyoiler with no oil leaking onto the` outer surface of the container andthe c spout thereof. Y

The pin i3 allows of sufficient sliding movement of the valve I4 toinsure positive action thereof. The weight of the cylindricalA solidvalve I4 is suicient to cause it tovpromptly seat as in Figure 3 or`promptly open as shown-in Fig-- ure 4, insuring at all times of a freeflow of fresh air to the spout when the oiler is in'operation.

In those types of oil cans in which they are operated by ordinarilypressing on'V the Abottom thereof, if my invention is applied to suchcans, the air supplied thereto will be so positive as to eliminatethenecessity ofsuch pressure! Y While I have described the preferredembodiment of my invention and illustrated the same in the accompanyingdrawing, certain .minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilledin the art to which this invention relates during the extensivemanufacture of the same and I, therefore, reserve the right to make suchalterations or changes as shall fairly fall within the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an oiler, the combination with a container provided with a spout,of an air tube fastened at its lower end to the side of said containerand extending up into said spout, said air tube opening at its lower endupon the outside of said container, and said air tube being providedwithin the spout with a valve device, said valve device being providedwith a reduced discharge end extending in the direction of the dischargeend of said spout.

2. In an oiler, the combination with a container provided with a spout,an air tube including a primary and an auxiliary section, said prmarysection fastened at its lower end to the side of said container andextending up into said spout, said primary section opening at its lowerend upon the outside of said container, said auxiliary section entirelywithin said spout, said primary and auxiliary sections being providedwith a lock fixedly securing said sections together, and valve meanswithin said auxiliary section and normally entirely seated on saidprimary section.

3. In an oiler, the combination with a container provided with a spout,of an air tube comprising a primary and an auxiliary section, saidprimary section within said container and fastened thereto and extendingat its upper end intosaid spout, said primary section opening at itslower endupon the outside of said container, said auxiliary sectionentirely within said spout, said primary section being provided with asocket near its upper end, said auxiliary `section being provided with adetent near its lower end, said detent seated in said socket, and valvemeans Within said auxiliary section and normally seated on said primarysection. Y s

4. In an oiler, the combination'with a container provided with a spout,of an air tube comprising a primary and an auxiliary section, saidprimary section fastened at its lower end to said container, saidauxiliary section entirely within said spout, said primary sectionopening at its lowerend upon the `outside ofA said container, saidprimary section extending into 'the spout and having its upper end inthe lower end of said auxiliary section, said Lipper end of said primarysection constituting a valve seat, ayvalve within said auxiliary sectionand normally resting on said valve seat, and a pin extending across saidauxiliary section near its upper end for limiting movement of said valvewithin said auxiliary section.

5. In an oiler, the combination with a container provided with a spout,of a sectional air tube freely mounted within said spout and fastened atits lower end to saidV container, -said air tube opening at its lowerend upon the outside of said container, a pin in one of the sections ofsaidA air tube, and a movablevalve injthe section of said air tubeprovided with said-pin, and said'valve being` adapted to rest uponftheend of onegof said sections for closing the air tube or resting againstsaid pin when said air tube is in` an open position. 1 Y Y y Y JOHN B.SWAN.

